Rotary grain-separator.



No. 828,529. I PATENTED AUG. 14, 1906.

' W. A. RRRwsTRR.

ROTARY GRAIN SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1905.

WITNESSES:

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' 1/. ATTORNEYJ I I/VVENTOR WE'ZZazm. .A ,Brcwatcr,

nnirnn snares PATENT OFFICE,

ROTARY eRaiN-sEPARAroa.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Aug. 14, 1906.

Application filed May 11, 1905 Serial No. 259,867.

other refuse are blown out of the machine.

The object of my' invention is to provide a simple construction of separator wherein the chaff, straw, and light grain are blown away from the large and small'grain at an early stage of the separation, while the large good grain is collected and delivered at the other end of the machine from which the'refuse emerges and the smaller grain is separated from the foul seeds and small particles of dirt, so as to be collected and delivered separately from the larger good grain.

My improved machine comprises a rotary screen or drum composed of a number of peculiarly-arranged conical members or sections which, "n a way, are separate and distinct to treat the different materials and at the same time are combined to rotate as a unit. four sections or members, the majority being .of foraminous material, such as wire screening or perforated metal. Of these conical sections two of them extend the full length of the screen, the two long conical members being arranged reversely .to each other and united directly together at one end, the other ends being separated or spaced. Between the long conical members of the screen or drum I arrange a third conical member, somewhat shorter than either long member and having a different taper or conicity, so as to partly envelop the innermost section and to incline therefrom toward the surrounding long section. The fourth member or section is short, like the third-mentioned section, but is tapered oppositely thereto, and it operates to separate the smaller grain from the foul seeds and the small particles of dirt.

The invention consists also in the construction and combination of arts, which will be hereinafter described an claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein like characters of reference are The rotary screen or drum consists of used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional elevation through a grain-separator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken in the plane of the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow. A designates a supporting-frame, which tion, and within or upon this frame are mounted a revoluble screenor drum B, a blast-fan O, and a feed-hopper D.

- The important part of my invention is the novel construction of the revoluble screen or drum, which, as shown more particularly by Fig. 1, consists of a plurality of conical members, each in the form of a irustum of a cone. I prefer to employ four conical members, (indicated at 1, 2, 3, and4,) which are coupled or united one to the other in a way to rotate as a unit on a horizontal axis. The members 1 suitable foraminous materialsuch, for ex- 5 may be of any suitable or'preferred construcample, as wire mesh or perforated sheet I metal ;'but the interstices or perforations in these two conical members are of different sizes for the purpose of effecting the proper separation of the large and small grain from each other and from the dirt, chafi, straw,

and other refuse. The member 1 and the imperforate member 3 extend the full length of the screen, or substantially so, and these members are tapered or inclined oppositely to each other. The small end of the central conical member 1 is adjacent to the outlet from the feed-hopper D and the delivering- 5 spout of the fan-casing O, whereas the large end of the conical member 2 is quite close to a said holpper and the fan.

The arge end of the conical memberl and the small end of the conical member 2 are quite close together, and they are attached directly one to the other in any suitable way,

and the conical member 2 is arranged to surround the member 1, from which the member 2 inclines or tapers toward the fan. The conical member 3 is considerably shorter than either of the members 1 2, and said member 3 is tapered at a different angle from said other members 1 and 2. The member 3 is laced between the members 1 and 2 so as to incline away from the member 1 and toward the member 2. Said member 3 tapers in the same eneral direction as the member 1, al-

thoug at a different angle, and the small with the corresponding end ofthe member 1,

,which are arranged below the delivery ends end ,of the member 3 is substantially flush' whereby the members 1 and 3 are-attached one to the other, and the member 3 is adapted to partly surround the member 1, said member 3 being free from contact with the inner surface of the longer member 2.

The member 4 is made of foraminous material and of larger diameter than either of the members 1, 2, and 3, said member 4 partly surrounding the member 2 and tapered at a different angle from said member 2. This member 4 is somewhat shorter than the member 2, and the small end thereof is attached to'the member 2 quite close to the middle thereof. The members 2 and 4 operate to collect and deliver the large grain and the small 'grain,respectively; and for the purpose of separatel discharging the grain from the machine I ave provided the spouts E E,

of the members2 and 4, respectively, substantially as shown by Fig. 1. These spouts are represented as extending transversely across the frame atpoints below the inlet end to the screen B; but the particular method of arran 'ng the screens is immate- .rial, so that it wil be understood these spouts may be arranged in any suitable way.

The screen or drum B is mounted for rotation bodily within the frame A. by any suitable or preferred means; but as one means for mounting the inner or receiving end of the screen I employ a spider F. (Shown more clearly by Fig. 3 of the drawings.) This spider has a circular hub f, radial arms f and a rim f the whole being cast or otherwise made. The hub f of the spider receives and supports the small ends of the conical members l and 3, while the rim f 2 is attached to the conical member 2 and may be connected with the conical member 4. The rim forms a track-surface ada ted for en agement by suitable carrying-rollers g, whic are mounted on the frame in suitable ways and in positions to support the receiving end of-the screen. The other or delivery end of the revoluble screen is mounted on the frame by any suitable means, thus leaving both ends of the screen open for the inlet of the grain to be cleaned and for the exit of the straw, chaff, and other refuse.

The fan-casing has a delivery-throat 0, arranged to direct the blast of air into the receiving end of the central conical member 1 of the revoluble screen. The fan-shaft c and the screen B are adapted to be driven byany suitable form of driving-gear; but, as shown more particularly by Fig. 2, this driving-gear consists of sprocketears h h and chain b the gear it being attac ed to the fanshaft c Theother gear 71. is on a driveshaft H, properly journaled on the frame A, and said shaft has a spur-gear t, which meshes with a gear '2' on the rim of the spider i change the same at will.

member 1 and out oft F. The shaft H is shown as having a handcrank Iforthe operation of the driving-gear in a way to rotate the fan at the required speed and to alsorotate'the screen or drum B on its horizontalaxis. I would have it understood, however, that I do not restrict myself to' this special form of driving-gear, because I reserve the right to modify or The feed-hopper D is provided with a spout d, which is arranged to deliver thegrain directly into the boot d'tof the fanc'asing and thGHOGlJO the small end ofthe conical member 1 of the screen. In the operation ofthe separator the gra is supplied by the spout d of the hopper and the spout of the fan-casing into the screen or drum and in the whereby the straw, chaif, and other light refuse are blown directly stage in the operation. The grain. slides along the member 1 and passes thr'ou h thepath of the air-blast delivered by the fan into said screen or drum,

through the conical" e screen. at an early large good grain and make said member 2 deliver the good grain to the spout E. The foul seeds and smaller grain pass through the perforations of the member 2, and the smaller grain, is delivered by the member 4 to the spout E.

Changes in the form, size, proportion, and minor. details in construction may be made without departing from the s irit of the invention or sacrificing any of t e advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such alterations and modifications as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a grain-separator, ajrevoluble screen or drum comprising two innerconical members of unequal lengths and tapering in the same direction, and two outer conical mem bers also of unequal lengths and ta ering in an opposite direction to the tapero both inner members, said outer members being adapted to individually discharge their contents and at different points.

2. In a grain-separator, arevoluble screen or drum comprising a lurality of members, each of which is con cal? two of said members being tapered in one :direction and the two remaining members being tapered in an op posite direction to that of the first-named members, the two-last-nalned' members being adapted to ndivid'ually discharge their con-- tents at different points.

3. In a grain-separator, a revoluble screen or drum comprising a plurality of conical members one around the other, two of said same length,'and a s in o posite directions to each other, and a thir member disposed between the aforesaid members and tapering toward the outer member.

4. In a grain-separator, a revoluble screen or drum comprising a plurality of conical members one around the other, two of said members being tapered reversely to each other and extendingfor substantially the enveloping theouter long member andinclined at a different angle to, but in the same general direction'as, said outer member, said short and lon outer members being ada ted to discharge their contentsat different points. 5. In a grain-Se arator, a' screen-drum comprisin a plura t of conical members, two of 'w 'ch' extend for substantially the same length and are inclined reversely to each other, a third member lyin between the two mentioned'members, an a 'fourth' member partly enveloping said members.

6.' In a grain-se arator, a screen-drum comprisin a plura 1ty of conical members, two of w 'ch extend for substantihlly the full lengthof the drum and are inclined reversely to each other, a third member lying between the two mentioned members, and a fourth member partly enveloping said, members, and separate s outs into which two of said members are a apted to discharge their contents.

7. ha grain-separator, arotary separat ing drum or screen comprising a plurality of conical members, two of which are united at one end and two at the other end, and a spider connecting all the members at one end of the drum or screen. c

8. In a grain-separator, a rotary separating drum or screencomprisin four conical members, two of which exten for substan "tially the same length and are united at one end, a third united to one of the longer memhere at theopposite end, and a fourthmem- -ber united to one of the larger members.

rter member partially oppositeend, and a fourth member united to one of the longer members, and a spider uniting all the members at one end of the screen or drum.

10. In a rain separator, a screen-drum com rising, our conica members, two of whic extend for substantially the same length and are united at one end, a third united to one of the lon er members at the eopposite end, and a fourt member united to one of the longer members, and a s ider unlting all the members at one. end 0 the drum or screen, and separate spouts into which certain of themembers are adapted to discharge their contents. c

11. In a grain-separator, a screen-drum comprising, four conical members, two of which extend for substantially the same length and are united at one end, a third united to one ofthe lon er members at the opposite end, and a fourt member united to one of the longer members, and means for d1 i'ectin grain into one of the longer members. 12. a grain-separator, a screen-drum comprising four conical members, two of whichextend for substantially the same length .and are united at one end, a third united to one of the lon er members at the opposite end, and a fourt memberumted to one of the larger members, means for feeding grain into one of the larger members, and means for directing a blast of air into said larger member. i

13. In a ain-separator, a screen-drum comprising our conical members, two of which extend for substantially the same length and are united at one end, a third united to one of the 1011 er members at the opposite end, and a fourt member united to one of the'larger members means for feeding grain into one of the longer members, means for directing. a blast of air into said longer member, and a driving mechanism for rotat-' ing the screen and for operating the blast.

mechanism.

In testimony whereof I havesigned my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin witnesses;

W LLIAM A. BREWSTER.

Witnesses:

ALBERT F. EWING, BF. MORRIS. 

